Tag Archives: decks

It’s largely been a dry summer. And while the landscaping at Dan’s house is doing remarkably well, the landscaping at Betsy’s is shriveling and dying. The difference? Drip irrigation! Today, we sit down with Aaron Katerberg from Grapids Irrigation to talk about some DIY solutions you can implement today!

We’ll also be talking with RepcoLite Sales Rep, Erick Lowing, about some common paint problems he runs into from day to day. In fact, the topics he plans to discuss are topics he’s dealt with multiple times just this week! That’s about as “common” as you can get! Tune in for the problems and most importantly, the fixes!

Today we debut a new segment that we’ll repeat from time to time: Betsy’s Toolbox! Betsy is a tool geek and she’s always eager to make recommendations about the best tools to use. Today, in her inaugural Toolbox segment, she leads in with unique story about a farmer who had a cow…. We’ll also be talking with builder, Bob Snowden about a historic shortage of new homes we’re experiencing right now. That and much more!

Listen here:

Show notes for episode 051:

This week we noticed that Bob Snowden of Snowden Builders, someone we have interviewed on the show before, was featured on the COVER of the Wall Street Journal! He was interviewed for an article titled The Next Housing Crisis: A Historic Shortage of New Homes
The article spurred an extended conversation about some of the potential causes for the new home shortage and why it's harder than ever to build a brand new starter home for a reasonable price.

This is a segment we are calling Betsy's Toolbox because, believe it or not, she probably owns more tools than Dan. And today, we're talking about a tool that's been around since 1924...the Irwin Vise Grip. It's an extremely versatile tool that has been upgraded in recent years to make it even more amazing!
Now, although this isn't the best video, it really shows how much better the NEW Vise Grips are compared to the old ones.

After talking with Bob Snowden in the first segment about the lack of available homes, we thought it would be a good idea to poll some realtors in the area for their Top 5 Projects when selling a home. If you are considering selling your home, check out one of these great realtors!

A few weeks ago we were walking around the Grand Rapids Home and Garden Expo and found a really cool product the converts the underside of your second-story deck into a useable outdoor living space.
Ross Morgan from Under Deck Oasis tells us about this very unique product and some of the things the converted space can be used for. The before and after pictures say it all!

A few weeks ago we talked about the DIY way to clean moss and algae off your roof, with a few cautions. A phone call we received prompted us to look for some sort of contractor who could possibly do the cleaning. That’s how we found the guys who do “Roof Shampooing.” The best part is, they don’t have to use chemicals…including bleach. Their product is eco-friendly and biodegradable. And it saves you climbing on the roof!

Listen here:

Show notes for episode 024:

A few weeks ago we talked about cleaning moss and algae from your roof. We also cautioned you to avoid damaging your shingles. Then we got a phone call from someone who just didn't feel comfortable getting on the roof to clean it. That got us researching, and that's how we found Justin!
Justin Teesdale, owner of Peak Performance Roof Cleaning, tells us all about his Roof Shampoo system. It kills and cleans off moss, algae and lichen, leaving your roof looking like new. He uses a biodegradable, environmentally friendly product that has AMAZING results! We can't believe the before and after pictures!

We promise this isn't as boring as you may think! Spending money on a good paint brush is always worth the investment. And once you've made the investment, you want to keep it working like new as long as possible. The problem is, many people are cleaning their brush incorrectly and are having to replace it sooner than necessary. We've got the trick to "keep it in shape."

And before you throw away that brush, give it a life in retirement. We have uses for that brush, long after it's days of putting paint on walls is over.

Unexpected things happen all the time. And this is an unexpected project for this time of year. Most people think of deck staining as a spring project. The snow melts and everyone decides the deck has seen better days. But fall is a great time for this project!

By doing your deck now, you are sealing it against the elements of winter. It's also easier to work with the product this time of year because it's not as hot. Just remember, your staining window during the day IS shorter, but you can still get great results.

Buying firewood is pretty...well...cut and dry, right? Not according to Rob Cackowski from Heritage Fireplace and Design Center. A while back we stopped in the store to see some of his new products and talk fireplaces. While we were there, he told us he could fill an entire segment talking about firewood. Really? It's firewood. There's that much to know. Apparently there is a lot that most of us are missing when it comes to the wood we burn. Thanks to Rob, we are about to be VERY well informed.

Today, we sit down in the studio with Kim DeBoer and discuss the adventures of refinishing furniture. Kim talks about some of her best experiences and the joys of taking something old and unwanted and turning it into a centerpiece in your home!

That and more in today’s episode of the RepcoLite Home Improvement Show!

Listen here:

Show notes for episode 005:

Shopping for furniture to refinish or repurpose can be stressful! What's worth buying? What can actually be refinished and what is just going to make you sad? And where do you look to find these pieces?

Kim DeBoer is a professional painting contractor who does a lot of furniture refinishing on the side. She's been doing this for years and has answers for all of these questions and more!

It's Spring and the weather's getting warmer! And that means that we're right on the cusp of air conditioner season. But did you know that there are a few simple projects you can tackle on a Saturday morning (or anytime!) that will help you make sure your unit runs efficiently, for less cost, and lasts longer!

Staining a deck is a great project! It's fun and even relatively easy. In fact, the most confusing part of the whole project is trying to choose the right stain. Should you go with an oil-based product? Or a waterborne? What opacity is best for your situation? Clear or Solid or something in between?

Spring is here and with it, we get warmer weather, baseball . . . and ants! My home is right now under invasion and so I'm very excited to be in the studio with David Popp from Rose Pest Solutions. He's here to talk about ants, termites, what to look for and what to do when you find a problem!

It’s Spring! At least mostly…. And there is no better time to clean your deck and get it ready for the season. In this episode, we talk all about what it takes to get that deck cleaned and ready for stain. We also talk with Rose Pest Solutions about a common outdoor pest: mosquitoes.

That and much more on this inaugural episode!

Listen now:

Shownotes for episode 001:

Cleaning the deck is a simple Spring project (or Summer or Fall!!). We ran you through the basics on the show today, but there's a lot more information out there. If you're interested, stop out at any RepcoLite, Port City Paints, or Snyder Paints location and let us help.

Also, we recorded a podcast last summer. It's basically a Deck Cleaning Q&A and it's full of great info. Check it out:

OnFloor Machine Demo

Here's a demo of the OnFloor Machine we discussed in the episode, though we want to note that the situation in this video shows the OnFloor Machine removing nearly 5 layers of freshly applied stain (yikes!). As a result, the speed is dramatically reduced. Still, you can see a great example of how clean the OnFloor Machine will get your deck. It's a very quick way to get your wood ready for stain without having to do any cleaning or introduce any water to the deck at all. This means you could clean it and stain it on the same day!

We have an OnFloor Machine for rent. You can contact us at 616-396-5213 to check availability and rental rates!

Which Tools are Best?

We didn't have time to get to all the different tools on the radio show today, but below we have a video that walks you through a number of different application options and how quickly (or not!) they work!

Mosquitoes are a giant pain in the neck! You just get your deck looking great and find that you can't even be out on it for more than 10 minutes at a time. And all of that time is spent running in circles, waving your arms, and trying to present them with a moving target.

Today, we sit down in the studio with David Popp from Rose Pest Solutions and we talk about prevention and reduction of this annoying spring, summer, and fall pest!

It's Spring and that means we're going to be working on our lawns soon enough. Is your lawn equipment ready? What do you need to do to make sure it's ready to go for the season?
We sit down with Brian Stacey from Bergman Power Equipment and he tells us everything we need to know!